What we heard: In April, gamers were pleasantly surprised when
news broke that a Nintendo DS, Wii, and PC game based on the PBS art show
The Joy of Painting was in the works. The show, which ran in the 1980s and early 1990s, was hosted by the late Bob Ross, who painted landscapes with "happy little trees" and "happy little clouds." Ross became a cult hero not only for his artistic abilities, but also for his soothing voice, brown afro, and amicable demeanor.
Little was known about the games except that they were scheduled to be developed by AGFRAG Entertainment Group, a small studio largely concentrating on PC flash games.
Unfortunately, the trees, mountains, and clouds won't be happy to hear that the game is currently in limbo. On the Bob Ross Game Yahoo Group, which the developers used to keep gamers up to date on the project, the following message was posted:
"AGFRAG is no longer involved in the development of ANY Bob Ross Game. Please contact Bob Ross Inc. for further information. Thank You." (emphasis in original.)
GameSpot contacted Joseph Hatcher, head of AGFRAG to confirm the message. Hatcher reiterated the previous statement, saying, "We will not be developing the game on any platform." Citing legal reasons, Hatcher was unable to give details of his company's decision. However, he did leave the door open for the game to live on. "We are not saying it is canceled in anyway," he told GameSpot.
Following his conversation with GameSpot, Hatcher updated the
AGFRAG Web site with the following message:
"I'm sorry that we have disappointed so many people on a certain project. Please realize we did what we felt was best, with the cards that were dealt to us and the situation we were in. We have learned from the experience and we won't make the same mistakes twice. The companies we dealt with were professional in every way and we enjoyed working with them while we did and appreciated the opportunities they presented to us. You won't hear anything about our next game until it's almost on shelves."
While it is possible that another developer may hop onboard, Bob Ross Inc. would be hard pressed to find another taker for what looks to be merely a cult project.
Bob Ross Inc. did not have any news of the game posted on its Web site as of today. Requests for comment from Bob Ross Inc. were unanswered as of press time.
Bogus or not bogus?: Unlike Bob's tranquil landscapes, the picture does not look good. Not bogus.
